Bottle refilling detector



March 3, 1936. HAASE 2,032,478

BOTTLE REFILLING DETECTOR Filed Feb. 26. 1935 INVENTOR Lou/6 #4455 v ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITE D PAT E NT OFFICE 5 Claims;

This invention relates to a bottle refilling detector, and its object is to provide a simple; efiicient and'inexpensive device for detecting or indicating that the bottle with which it is used has been refilled.

The device is adapted to be retained in the-neck of a bottle, such as a liquor bottle, wine bottle, cologne bottle, or the like, and is so constructed that when it is once pushed down into the bottle, it cannot be withdrawn through the neck or removed without destroying the bottle.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention:-

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the neck of a bottle, showing my bottle refilling detector in place in the neck, the latter being illustrated partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a modification of the device;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the same, partly in section;

Fig. 4 is a side view of another modification; and

Fig. 5 is an end View of the latter.

Referring to the drawing, it represents the neck of the bottle. The bore of the bottle-neck is not uniform in diameter but is formed, as usual in bottle making, with a choke I l of slightly narrower diameter. I2 represents a cap or closure on the top of the bottle-neck. All of these parts may be of conventional or of any approved form and construction.

The detector device comprises a cylindrical body I3 adapted to fit into the neck of the bottle, and made of composition, glass, or other suitable material. The body may be either solid or of hollow construction with one or both ends closed. The body has one or more circumferential grooves I 4, preferably two as shown. A split expanding ring I5 is carried in each groove. The rings are of resilient material, preferably spring metal of such character, or which has been so treated or coated, as not to be affected by alcohol or other content of the bottle. The rings are of such diameter that when contracted they will pass through the opening of the choke i! but that when expanded they will not pass through said opening.

When the device is inserted in the bottle-neck, the split rings 15 expand tightly against the inner surface of the neck, above and below the constriction or choke H, and thus retain the device securely in place beyond danger of accidental dislodgment in handling, shipping or otherwise.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have illustrated a modification in-which the expanding members are in the form. of vertically'disposed springs 16. In this instance, the cylinder I l is formed with vertical grooves or slots l8 in which the springs areloc'ated'. The springs are held'inpl'ace'by means of aband I 9 that encircles them at the middle and ties them to the'body I1 1 The band I9' is' disposed in the cylindrical groove 20 in the body. The upper and lower ends of the springs I6 are free from attachment to the body.

A further modification is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 wherein the cylindrical body 21 carries a plurality of circumferentially disposed spring pressed members or plungers 22.

In these modifications the springs l6 and the plungers 22, respectively, perform the same functions as the split rings l5 of the form illustrated in Fig. 1, that is, by expanding to a limited extent within the bottle-neck, they serve to hold the device tightly in place in the neck, and by expanding fully when pushed into the bottle, they prevent the device from being withdrawn through the neck or from being removed without breaking the bottle.

In use, the bottle holding its original liquid content is opened and the detector device is pushed into the bottle to permit the liquid to be poured out. Should the bottle be subsequently refilled and recapped, the presence of the device in the body of the bottle would indicate that the liquid content then in the bottle was not the original content. It is evident, therefore, that this invention provides a simple and practical means for quickly detecting that a bottle has been refilled or is being used for an unauthorized purpose.

I do not limit myself to the particular constructions herein shown and described as the invention may be subject to further modifications, and may be embodied in other forms, within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:-

1. A bottle refilling detector comprising a member adapted for insertion into and passage through the neck of a bottle, said member having expanding means adapted to expand within and frictionally engage the interior surface of the bottle-neck throughout substantially the inner circumference of the latter to retain the device in place therein, and to expand further, when the of the neck, a member adapted to be inserted into and. to be passed through the bottle-neck, said member having an annular groove, a split expanding ring carried in the groove and extending beyond the walls defining said groove for frictionally engaging the neck at a point above the choke, to retain the device in place in the neck, and being further adapted, when said member is passed through the neck into the body of the bottle, to expand to an extent that will prevent removal through the neck.

3. The combination with a bottle-neck having a choke portion of smaller diameter than the rest of the neck formed intermediate the ends of the latter, a cylindrical member adapted to be inserted into and passed through the bottle-neck, said member having a plurality of circumferential grooves, a split expanding ring carried in each groove, said rings being adapted to engage the neck at points above and below the choke portion,

to hold the device in place in the neck; to contract, to permit of. passing the device into the bottle through the choke portion; and to expand to a diameter greater than that of the choke portion when the device is passed into the bottle' so as to prevent removal thereof through the neck.

4. The combination with a bottle-neck having a choke portion of smaller diameter than the rest of the neck, a member adapted to be inserted into and to be passed through the bottle neck, said member being formed with a pair of spaced circumferential grooves, an expanding member in each of said grooves adapted to engage the neck at a point above and below the choke portion of the neck to retain said member within the neck of the bottle and said expanding members being further adapted to expand to an extent so as to prevent withdrawal of the member when the latter is forced into the body of the bottle.

5. The combination with a bottle-neck having a choke portion of smaller diameter than the rest of. the neck, a member adapted to be inserted into and to be passed through the bottle neck, and

spaced latch means carried by said member adapted to frictionally engage the interior of the bottle-neck above and below the choke portion thereof to retain said member in position within said neck portion of the bottle, and said latch means being formed to move to a position to prevent withdrawal of the member when the latter has been moved into the body portion of the bottle.

LOUIS HAASE. 

